Remember the Name: Zion Pullan Continues His Meteoric Rise at Celtic. The Next James Forrest
Aodhán Ó Conchobhair For a player who is still only 15 years old, Zion Pullan is making a habit of doing exactly what every young footballer dreams of.
Scoring goals.
Five minutes later, he had already found the back of the net.
It’s another significant milestone in what has been a remarkable rise through the Celtic academy, and another reminder that one of the club’s brightest prospects continues to develop at an astonishing rate.
Playing Beyond His Years
Most 15-year-olds are still finding their feet at the Under-16 or Under-17 level.
Pullan is already making the jump to Under-19 football.
That alone tells you how highly he is regarded within Lennoxtown.
The winger has spent the past year tearing apart youth football, amassing over 100 goal involvements across Celtic’s academy sides, while earning international recognition from both Scotland and Spain.
Now he’s proving those numbers weren’t simply a product of playing against his own age group.
Stepping up three or four years in age and scoring within five minutes is exactly the type of statement elite prospects make.
The Numbers Continue to Grow
When Pullan first burst onto supporters’ radars, it was the statistics that caught everyone’s attention.
Hat-tricks.
Double figures becoming routine.
An extraordinary number of goals and assists.
Against bigger, stronger and more experienced opponents, he’s still finding ways to influence games.
That’s exactly what Celtic’s academy coaches will have wanted to see.
Patience Is Still Required
Of course, there will inevitably be calls for the teenager to be fast-tracked towards the first team.
Supporters have seen his highlights.
They’ve seen the numbers.
Now they’re seeing him score at the under-19 level.
But Celtic must resist the temptation to rush him.
Every elite academy player develops differently.
The important thing isn’t whether Pullan makes his first-team debut at 16, 17 or 18.
It’s ensuring that when he does arrive, he’s physically and mentally ready to stay there.
The club have learned lessons from previous academy talents, and getting Pullan’s pathway right will be just as important as recognising his talent.
A Genuine Talent Worth Watching
For now, Celtic supporters should simply enjoy watching one of the academy’s brightest stars continue his progression.
Scoring on your Under-19 debut at 15 years old isn’t normal.
Neither is registering more than 100 goal involvements in a season.
Neither is attracting international attention from multiple nations before you’ve even sat your National 5s.
Every week seems to bring another headline.
The road to Celtic’s first team is still a long one.
But if his development continues at this pace, it may not be quite as long as many think.
Key Takeaways
- Zion Pullan, at just 15, debuted for Celtic Under-19s and scored within five minutes, showcasing his talent.
- He has over 100 goal involvements in youth football and has gained international recognition from Scotland and Spain.
- Despite skepticism about his ability to transition to older age groups, he continues to perform well against stronger opponents.
- Although fans are eager for him to join the first team, Celtic must be patient and focus on his long-term development.
- Ensuring Pullan is physically and mentally prepared is crucial for his future success in the senior team.
Bhoycie 
Eric Knott 
Phillip Cooney 
If he’s that good make sure we give him a contact before we lose him to the English Premier teams like all the other youngsters
Being patient has cost us several youth players before who were good prospects.we need to address this problem.
When is he going to Liverpool
Like all the previous talented youngsters in our academy he will no doubt already have been targeted by the likes of Liverpool, Chelsea and Bayern Munich and will leave before he gets a chance in the first team.
Don’t know why we bother with an academy as the youngsters never get the opportunity and are overlooked for poorer project signings on the last day of the transfer windows.
If you’re good enough you’re old enough, just look at the Spain World Cup winners, an 18 year old centre half and two teenage wingers who lit up the European Nations Cup two years ago, that all play regularly for their teams in LaLiga yet the set up here in Scotland is not conducive to nurturing young talent.